Terrorism and climate change were among the top agendas discussed in Beijing on Monday at a meeting of foreign ministers from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa ahead of the BRICS summit in China’s Xiamen in September this year. Minister of State for External Affairs Gen (retd) V K Singh said India had urged the BRICS nations at the inaugural meeting of foreign ministers to “not differentiate between good and bad terrorists”, in a seemingly veiled reference to China blocking India’s efforts to bring about a UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Masood Azhar.

“I pointed out that terrorism remains one of the most potent global menaces. We did bring out that it threatens global peace and terrorists cannot be differentiated by calling them good or bad. They are terrorists and they are criminals and we need to have a concerted action both in the region and internationally to curb their activities,” he said.

A joint statement later in the day deplored continued terror attacks, including those in the BRICS countries, and reaffirmed solidarity and resolve in the fight against terrorism.

“They (foreign ministers) call upon the international community to establish a genuinely broad international counter-terrorism measured and the support the United Nations’ central coordinating role in the international counter-terrorism cooperation. They recall the responsibility of all States to prevent financing of terror networks and terrorist actions from their territories,” the statement said.

The BRICS nations called for the expedited adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UN General Assembly.

Asked about differences with India, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi defended China’s stance on terror and said that China opposed terror in all forms.